Heaviest holiday traffic expected Wednesday, Sunday

State officials are warning that traffic jams are likely on Wednesday and Sunday for the start and end of the long holiday weekend.

By Jesse Mayfield Sheehan

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Jesse Mayfield Sheehan

Posted Jul. 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 2, 2013 at 2:13 AM

By Jesse Mayfield Sheehan

Posted Jul. 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 2, 2013 at 2:13 AM

» Social News

State officials are warning that traffic jams are likely on Wednesday and Sunday for the start and end of the long holiday weekend.

"On Wednesday, you have people who are unable to get out of work until later, so you combine holiday traffic with rush hour," said Mary Maguire of AAA Southern New England.

Maguire said roads that could become particularly congested during the holiday include Interstate 93, Route 495, the Massachusetts Turnpike, the Sagamore Bridge, the Bourne Bridge, and particularly the intersection of Route 495 and the Turnpike and the intersection of Routes 93 and 95.

"Travelers should certainly expect traffic heading to and leaving popular Fourth of July destinations like South Shore beaches and Cape Cod," State Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Sara Lavoie said in an email. "Also, highways leading to New Hampshire and Maine, especially if the weather is favorable, will see traffic."

AAA estimates 40.8 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from their homes over the holiday, a 0.8 percent decrease from last year's 41.1 million, primarily because Independence Day is on a Thursday, making the holiday weekend five days, as opposed to six days when the holiday was on a Wednesday last year.

Of those travelers, 84 percent are expected to travel by car. Air travel is expected to have a slight increase from last year's 3.06 million to 3.07 million, while the remaining eight percent of travelers will travel by other modes, such as rail, bus or boat.

The MBTA will increase its service to Boston for the Pops concert on the Esplanade on Thursday night. Bus, subway and commuter rail fares will not be collected from 9:30 p.m.Thursday untilservice ends for the night.